Box-fastener.



No. 897,986. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

J. G. MERRILL.

BOX FASTENER.

52mg 55 if 4 INVENTOR A TTOR/VE Y5 closure, said means being inexpensive and UNITED STATES PAEEIN UFFICE.

JOHN C. MERRILL, OF SAN MARTIN, CALIFORNIA.

BOX-FASTENER.

Application filed July 26, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. MERRILL, a 1 citizen of the United States, residing at San Martin, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful BoxFastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fasteners and more particularly to devices of this character for use upon shipping crates.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient means for securing the easy to apply.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a shipping case embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the closure therefor. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the case with the closure removed. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the bolt of the looking means. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of bolt.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates the body of a case which may be of any suitable construction and provided at one end with a bail-like fastening member 2 substantially U-shaped and having its terminals secured upon the end of the case by means of staples 3 or in any other preferred manner. This member projects above the case and is for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

The opposite wall of the case is provided with a plurality of'upstanding loops 4, each of which is preferably formed of heavy wire bent between its ends and inturned and sharpened to form prongs 5. One member 6 of each loop lies against the vertical base of the body, whereas the other member 7 thereof is preferably inclined thereto as shown particularly in Fig. 1. Each loop 4 is preferably placed in position by disposing the arms 6 and 7 thereof upon opposite faces of the wall of the case and driving the prongs 5 into the case. The arms are then secured in position by means of staples 8 or in any other preferred manner.

The cover 9 is slightly longer than the case 1 and has slots 10 extending into one end Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 385,745.

thereof to'form a tongue 11 which is insertible into and through the baillike securing member 2. The opposite end portion of the closure is provided with apertures 12 designed to receive the loops 4 and said loops are so proportioned as to project slightly above the closure 9. Arranged upon the closure and close to the apertures 12 is a bolt 13 preferably formed of a link of strong wire folded at one end to form a locking arm 14 the two sides of which are substantially parallel while the other end of the bolt is offset to form a locking member 15 disposed in alinement with the member 14. The offset portion of the bolt is bowed upwardly as shown at 16 and designed to work beneath a spring 17. This strip is secured at one end upon the closure and has a notch 18 into which the bowed portion 16 is designed to be seated when the members 14 and 15 are in engagement with loops 4. Staples 19 engage the bolt near its ends and constitute guides therefor.

In securing the closure upon the case tongue 11 is inserted into the member 2 and the other end of the closure is then lowered so that the loops 4 will project through apertures 12. As soon as the closure has been positioned in this manner the bolt 13 is shifted longitudinally to bring the members 14 and 15 within the loops 4. When the parts assume this position the bowed portion 16 of the bolt will engage within the notch 18 and therefore the bolt will be held against accidental displacement. To remove the cover the operation thus described is reversed. Cross cleats 20 are preferably secured upon the closure so that should a number of cases be placed one upon the other there will be no danger of the locking mechanism becoming bent or broken.

As shown in Fig. 5 bolt 21 may be pro vided with an upstanding eye 22 designed to receive a screw eye 23 or other suitable de vice which may be placed in engagement with cleat 20 to lock the bolt against movement. it is unnecessary to use the spring 17 shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a body and upstanding loops upon the body; of a closure disposed to engage the loops, a slidable locking member upon the closure and having laterally offset integral alining portions insertible into the loops simultaneously, and

When this construction is employed non-alining means engaging said member and one of the alining portions for guiding said portions into the loops and preventing rotation of the member u on the closure.

2. The combination with a body and loops upstanding therefrom; of a closure engaging the loops, a bolt slidably mounted upon the closure and having alining end portionsv shiftable in one direction into engagement with the loops, said bolt having an upstanding intermediate portion, and resilient means engaging said portion to lock the bolt within the loops.

3. The combination with a body having a loop 1 secured to one wall thereof and up: standing therefrom, and loops upon another wall of the body and extending upward therefrom, said last mentioned loops embracing and projecting into opposite faces of said wall; of-an apertured closure having an integral tongue insertible into the first mentioned loop, said apertures being dis osed to receive the remaining loops, a slidab e member uponthe closure and shiftable inone direction t0 engagev the 100 s in the apertures, and means for automatically locking said member within the 100 s.

In testimony that I c aim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflix'ed my signature in the presence of two witnesses. 

